Methods for integrating workforce information

ABSTRACT

A computerized-method of integrating workforce information data across multiple business units is provided. Workforce information for each business unit is parsed into discrete sized data blocks. There are multiple steps to processing each data block, and the steps are executed sequentially on each data block and in parallel with processing of other data blocks.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to computer-based methods forintegrating workforce information. More specifically, the inventionrelates to computer-based methods of integrating workforce informationover multiple clock cycles for workforce information from multiplebusiness units.

BACKGROUND

In a diversified organization with many business units having a mix ofcloud-based, home-grown and/or vendor solutions, application generationof workforce information is quite often an inefficient and non-standardprocess. Each business unit having its own solution can make itdifficult to standardize an organization's workforce information and/orapply business rules to the workforce information in an efficient andtimely manner. For example, there is typically redundancy ofinformation, inconsistent data definitions, data inaccuracy, minimaldata re-use, limited transparency into business rules and/or datasourced from non-authoritative sources.

Various methods exists to standardize workforce information acrossmultiple business units. One such exemplary method involves applying oneor more business rules to workforce information by having each businessunit invoke the business rules via a web service. There are difficultiesassociated with this exemplary method. For example, it can be necessarythat application servers for each of the business unit be operational atthe same time that the business rules are to be applied to the workforceinformation. This can be undesirable because the workforce informationis typically not mastered and/or scattered across the enterprise and/orvarious cloud systems. Other difficulties associated with the methodinclude 1) the process of sending the workforce information via the webservice, applying the rules on the web service server side, andtransmitting the information back can cause unwanted latency; 2)transmitting un-encrypted workforce data between servers can create asecurity risk; and 3) poor performance by failing to meet service levelagreements (e.g., execution of rules for large datasets can exceed 30minutes for ˜38,850 employees with 77,780 business rules where a lesseramount of time is the agreement).

Another exemplary method involves storing the workforce information inan XML file and configuring one or more business rules into anexecutable jar file that executes on the XML file. Some of thedifficulties with this method are as follows: 1) an entire XML file hasto be generated prior to applying the rules, which can cause all otheraspects of the method to have to wait until the file is generated priorto processing resulting in delay; 2) the XML file is not encryptedcausing a potential security breach; and 3) scaling to a larger data setdegrades performance. For example, as the number of records increases,the file size increases. For a serial approach, as the file sizeincreases, because the resources are largely engaged in parsing theincreased file size, unused resources are idling.

Another approach involves using Java and embedding the rules within Javato act as a bridge between a workforce information database and a rulesengine. Some of the difficulties with this method include a failure toallow for a reset capability and a slow read and write.

Therefore, it is desirable to receive workforce information frommultiple varied business units and apply one or more business rules tothe workforce information with an efficient, secure, and uniform method.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Advantages of the claimed invention include applying business rules todata from one or more business units in a diversified organization in auniform, efficient, secure manner. Advantages of the invention alsoinclude an increase in performance. For example, for a workforce dataset having business rules applied according the invention, anapproximate load of up to fifty times the average realizable load isachievable.

Advantages of the invention also include improved data lineage and/or animproved metadata glossary and definitions. Advantages of the inventionalso include improved security due to the workforce data beingnon-persisted in an un-encrypted format as it is processed. Advantagesof the invention also include minimal dependent on external systems tobe available to process the workforce information and/or minimal networklatency due to elimination of the need to transmit the workforceinformation over the internet while processing.

In one aspect, the invention involves a computerized-method ofintegrating workforce information data received from a plurality ofbusiness units. The computerized-method involves during a first clockcycle, retrieving, by a computing device, a first data block ofpredetermined workforce information from a workforce information datarepository, the workforce information repository including workforceinformation data received from the plurality of business units, the sizeof the data block is based on an attribute of the particular businessunit of the plurality of business units that the workforce informationbeing retrieved was received from. The computerized-method also involvesduring a second clock cycle, a) retrieving, by the computing device, asecond data block of predetermined workforce information from theworkforce information data repository and b) applying, by the computingdevice, one or more rules to the first data block of predeterminedworkforce information to create a first consuming application ready datablock, the one or more rules are based on requirements of a consumingapplication that receives the consuming application ready data block.The computerized-method also involves during a third clock cycle, a)retrieving, by the computing device, a third data block of predeterminedworkforce information from the workforce information data repository,and b) applying, by the computing device, one or more rules to thesecond data block of predetermined workforce information to create asecond consuming application ready data block, and c) transmitting, bythe computing device, the first consuming application ready data blockto the consuming application.

In some embodiments, the computerized-method involves during a fourthclock cycle, a) retrieving, by the computing device, a fourth data blockof predetermined workforce information from the workforce informationdata repository, and b) applying, by the computing device, one or morerules to the third data block of predetermined workforce information tocreate a second consuming application ready data block, and c)transmitting, by the computing device, the second consuming applicationready data block to the consuming application.

In some embodiments, the computerized-method involves during a fifthclock cycle, a) retrieving, by the computing device, a fifth data blockof predetermined workforce information from the workforce informationdata repository, and b) applying, by the computing device, one or morerules to the fourth data block of predetermined workforce information tocreate a second consuming application ready data block, and c)transmitting, by the computing device, the third consuming applicationready data block to the consuming application.

In some embodiments, the computerized-method involves decrypting, by thecomputing device, the first data block of predetermined workforceinformation. In some embodiments, computerized-method involvesencrypting, by the computing device, the first consuming applicationready data block.

In some embodiments, the computerized-method involves determining, bythe computing device, whether the first data block of predeterminedworkforce information is in an Extensible Markup Language format andtransforming, by the computing device, the first data block ofpredetermined workforce information into an Extensible Markup Languageformat if the first data block of predetermined workforce information isnot in an Extensible Markup Language format.

In some embodiments, the first consuming application ready data block isoutput as a string. In some embodiments, applying the one or more rulesfurther comprises retrieving, by the computing device, the one or morerules based on the attribute of the particular business unit of theplurality of business units. In some embodiments, thecomputerized-method involves transmitting, by the computing device, thefirst consuming application ready data block to a data repository.

In some embodiments, the one or more rules are integration rules,precedence rules, derived rules, or any combination thereof. In someembodiments, the first clock cycle, the second clock cycle and the thirdclock cycle are substantially equal. In some embodiments, the firstclock cycle is approximately 0.5 seconds. In some embodiments, in thefirst data block size varies based on a parameter as specified in theworkforce information.

In another aspect, the invention involves a computer program product,tangibly embodied in a computer readable storage medium, for integratingworkforce information data received from a plurality of business units.The computer program product including instructions operable to cause adata processing apparatus to during a first clock cycle, retrieve afirst data block of predetermined workforce information from a workforceinformation data repository, the workforce information repositoryincluding workforce information data received from the plurality ofbusiness units, the size of the data block is based on an attribute ofthe particular business unit of the plurality of business units that theworkforce information being retrieved was received from. Theinstructions are also operable to cause a data processing apparatus toduring a second clock cycle, a) retrieve a second data block ofpredetermined workforce information from the workforce information datarepository and b) apply one or more rules to the first data block ofpredetermined workforce information to create a first consumingapplication ready data block, the one or more rules are based onrequirements of a consuming application that receives the consumingapplication ready data block. The instructions are also operable tocause a data processing apparatus to during a third clock cycle, a)retrieve a third data block of predetermined workforce information fromthe workforce information data repository, and b) apply one or morerules to the second data block of predetermined workforce information tocreate a second consuming application ready data block, and c) transmitthe first consuming application ready data block to the consumingapplication.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention, as well as the invention itself, will be more fullyunderstood from the following description of various embodiments, whenread together with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a computing system for integratingworkforce information, according to an illustrative embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a method for integrating workforceinformation, according to an illustrative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a timing diagram showing a method for integrating workforceinformation, according to an illustrative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing time to apply business rules for a prior artmethod of applying business rules and applying business rules accordingto an illustrative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing time to apply business rules as a function ofdata block size, according illustrative embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing time to process each data block as a functionof number of data blocks, according to illustrative embodiments of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Generally, a method of integrating workforce information data acrossmultiple business units, where many of the business units do not shareoperating systems, is provided. Workforce information for each businessunit is parsed into discrete sized data blocks. There are multiple stepsto processing each data block, and the steps are executed sequentiallyon each data block and in parallel with processing of other data blocks.

Each data block is retrieved, has business rules applied to it and istransmitted to a consuming application. Each of these steps is executedsequentially for each data block. Each data block is operated on inparallel. For example, assume the workforce information was parsed intofour data blocks. During a first time duration (e.g., first clockcycle), the first data block is retrieve. During the second clock cycle(e.g., a second clock cycle), the first data block has business rulesapplied to it and a second data block is retrieved. During a third clockcycle (e.g., a third clock cycle), the first data block is transmittedto a consuming application, the second data block has business rulesapplied to it, and a third data block is retrieved. During a fourthclock cycle (e.g., a fourth clock cycle), the second data block istransmitted to a consuming application, the third data block hasbusiness rules applied to it, and a fourth data block is retrieved. Thisprocess continues, until all of the data blocks are processed.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an exemplary integration system 100for integrating workforce information data received from a plurality ofbusiness units, according to an illustrative embodiment of theinvention. The components shown here, their connections andrelationships, and their functions, are meant to be exemplary only, andare not meant to limit implementations of integration method describedand/or claimed in this document.

The integration system 100 includes an integration hub server 110, abusiness rules database 120, a plurality of business unit computingdevices 130 a, 130 b, . . . , 130 n, generally, 130, a plurality ofconsuming applications, 140 a, 140 b, . . . , 140 n, and a businessrules database 120. Computing devices 130, consuming applications 140,integration hub 110 and business rules 120 are intended to representvarious forms of digital computers, such as laptops, desktops,workstations, personal digital assistants, servers, blade servers,mainframes, and other appropriate computers.

In other implementations, multiple processors and/or multiple busses canbe used, as appropriate, along with multiple memories and types ofmemory. Multiple computing devices can be connected, with each deviceproviding portions of the necessary operations (e.g., as a server bank,a group of blade servers, or a multi-processor system).

The integration system 110 can integrate workforce information frommultiple business units within an organization. Each business unitcomputing device 130, 132, transmits workforce data to the integrationhub 110. The integration hub 110 parses the workforce data into a groupof data blocks having a predetermined size. The integration hub 110retrieves each data block once from the group of data blocks, determinesone or more business rules from the business rules database 120 thatapplies to each data block, applies the determined one or more businessrules to each corresponding data block, and transmits each data block toone or more consuming applications 140. The integration hub 110 executesthe steps on each data block sequentially, and in parallel for all datablocks.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram a showing an exemplary flow of data through aworkforce information integration system 200 (e.g., integration system100 as shown above in FIG. 1), according to an illustrative embodimentof the invention. The workforce information integration system 200includes a source database 210, a data decryptor 215, a business rulesorchestrator 220, a data encryptor 225, and a target database 230.

The source database 210 is in communication with one or more businessunit computing devices (not shown) and the data decryptor 215. The datadecryptor 215 is in communication with the source database 210 and thebusiness rules orchestrator 220. The business rules orchestrator 220 isin communication with the data decryptor 215 and the data encryptor 225.The data encryptor 225 is in communication with the target database 230.

In operation, the source database 210 receives encrypted workforceinformation from the one or more business unit computing devices. Thesource database 210 parses the encrypted workforce information intodiscrete data blocks. The size of each data block depends on a parameterthat is received with the encrypted workforce information. Each datablock is assigned a business unit identifier. The business identifierindicates which of the one or more business unit computing devices theencrypted workforce information was received from. In some embodiments,if the encrypted workforce information is not in Extensible MarkupLanguage, the workforce information is transformed into ExtensibleMarkup Language.

Each data block is retrieved from the source database 210 and decryptedvia the data decryptor 215. In some embodiments, each data block isstored as Extensible Markup Language format. In some embodiments, eachdata block is stored as a field in a data base table. In someembodiments, the data decryptor 215 is AES256 bit encryption. In theseembodiments, a key is typically necessary for decryption.

Each data block is sequentially retrieved from the source database 210based upon an expiration of a time duration. For example, during after afirst clock cycle passes, a first data block is retrieved andtransmitted to the data decryptor 215. After a second clock cyclepasses, a second data block is retrieved and transmitted to the datadecryptor 215. The time duration can be based on a block size, xmlcontent, processing speed, or any combination thereof.

After being decrypted, each data block is transmitted to the businessrules orchestrator 220. The business rules orchestrator 220 determineswhich business rule/rules from a plurality of business rules to apply toeach data block.

In some embodiments, the applicable business rules depend on thebusiness unit identifier assigned to the data block. In someembodiments, the applicable business rules depends on how different datablocks are integrated with each other, business criteria forstandardization, and/or data block content. Each data block issequentially processed by the business rules orchestrator 220.Continuing with the example given above, after the second clock cyclepasses, the first data block is transmitted to the business rulesorchestrator 220. After a third clock cycle passes, the second datablock is transmitted to the business rules orchestrator 220.

In various embodiments, the business rules are integration rules,precedence rules, derived rules, or any combination thereof. In someembodiments, integration rules include rules to integrate employeeinformation from multiple global workforce systems. In some embodiments,precedence rules include specifying a rule that has a higher precedenceif the employee exists in two or more systems. In some embodiments,derived rules include computing a complete address from various addressattributes from each workforce systems. Is some embodiments, calculationrules include computing total compensation based on various compensationmetrics from various systems e.g. salary from a human resource system,bonuses from a compensation system and/or shares from shares system.

The business rules orchestrator 220 transmits each data block to thedata encryptor 225. In some embodiments, the data encryptor 225 isAES256 bit encryption. The data encryptor 225 encrypts each of the datablocks. Each data block is sequentially encrypted. Continuing with theexample given above, after the third clock cycle passes, the first datablock is encrypted. After a fourth clock cycle passes, the second datablock is encrypted.

The data encryptor 225 transmits each data block to the target database230. The target database 230 stores each of the data blocks. The targetdatabase 230 receives each of the data blocks sequentially. Continuingwith the example given above, after the fourth clock cycle passes, thefirst data block is stored in the target database 230. After a fifthclock cycle passes, the second data block is stored in the targetdatabase 230.

In some embodiments, each data block is stored in the target database230 as a string. In some embodiments, the data encryptor 225 transmitseach data block directly to a consuming application.

In some embodiments, the first clock cycle, the second clock cycle, thethird clock cycle, the fourth clock cycle and the fifth clock cycle aresubstantially equal. In some embodiments, the first clock cycle, thesecond clock cycle, the third clock cycle, the fourth clock cycle andthe fifth clock cycle can depend on the size of the data block. In someembodiments, the first clock cycle, the second clock cycle, the thirdclock cycle, the fourth clock cycle and the fifth clock cycle as thedata block size decreases, the clock cycle decreases. In someembodiments, the first clock cycle, the second clock cycle, the thirdclock cycle, the fourth clock cycle and the fifth clock cycle as thedata block size increases, the clock cycle increases. In variousembodiments, the first clock cycle, the second clock cycle, the thirdclock cycle, the fourth clock cycle and/or the fifth clock cycle are 0.5seconds.

FIG. 3 is a timing diagram showing a method 300 for integratingworkforce information, according to an illustrative embodiment of theinvention. The method involves, during a first clock cycle, retrieving afirst data block of predetermined workforce information from a workforceinformation data repository (e.g., source database 210, as shown abovein FIG. 2) (Step 310).

The method also involves, during a second clock cycle, applying one ormore rules to the first data block of predetermined workforceinformation to create a first consuming application ready data block(step 320) and retrieving a second data block of predetermined workforceinformation from the workforce information data repository (step 330).

The method also involves, during a third clock cycle, transmitting thefirst consuming application ready data block to the first consumingapplication (step 340), applying one or more rules to the second datablock of predetermined workforce information to create a secondconsuming application ready data block (step 350) and retrieving a thirddata block of predetermined workforce information from a workforceinformation data repository (step 360).

The method also involves, during a fourth clock cycle, transmitting thesecond consuming application ready data block to the second consumingapplication (step 370) and applying one or more rules to the third datablock of predetermined workforce information to create a third consumingapplication ready data block (step 380).

The method also involves, during a fifth clock cycle, transmitting thethird consuming application ready data block to the third consumingapplication (step 390).

It is apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that any number ofdata blocks can be sequentially processed in parallel, and that the useof first, second, third, etc. is for exemplary purposes only.

FIG. 4 is a graph 400 showing time to apply business rules for a priorart method of applying business rules and applying business rulesaccording to an illustrative embodiment of the invention. For the samesize of workforce information, the amount of time to apply businessrules to the workforce information is drastically reduced by applyingbusiness rules according to an illustrative embodiment of the invention(e.g. the method as described above in FIG. 3).

FIG. 5 is a graph 500 showing time to apply business rules as a functionof data block size, according illustrative embodiments of the invention.As the size of the workforce information data block increases, theduration it takes to apply business rules to the workforce informationdata does not significantly increase. For example, for a data block of1000 XML records having 77,795 business rules applied, the amount oftime to apply the business rules is approximately 26 seconds. For a datablock of 10000 XML records having the same number of business rulesapplied (77,795), the amount of time to apply the business rules isapproximately 28 seconds.

FIG. 6 is a graph 600 showing time to process each data block as afunction of number of data blocks, according to illustrative embodimentsof the invention. As the number of data blocks increases, the amount oftime to apply business rules increases less and less. For example, for1,000,000 data blocks, the time it takes to apply business rules to thedata blocks is approximately 0.23 milliseconds. For 1,500,000 datablocks, the time is takes to apply business rules to the data blocks isapproximately 0.22 milliseconds.

The above-described systems and methods can be implemented in digitalelectronic circuitry, in computer hardware, firmware, and/or software.The implementation can be as a computer program product (e.g., acomputer program tangibly embodied in an information carrier). Theimplementation can, for example, be in a machine-readable storage devicefor execution by, or to control the operation of, data processingapparatus. The implementation can, for example, be a programmableprocessor, a computer, and/or multiple computers.

A computer program can be written in any form of programming language,including compiled and/or interpreted languages, and the computerprogram can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone programor as a subroutine, element, and/or other unit suitable for use in acomputing environment. A computer program can be deployed to be executedon one computer or on multiple computers at one site.

Method steps can be performed by one or more programmable processorsexecuting a computer program to perform functions of the invention byoperating on input data and generating output. Method steps can also beperformed by an apparatus and can be implemented as special purposelogic circuitry. The circuitry can, for example, be a FPGA (fieldprogrammable gate array) and/or an ASIC (application-specific integratedcircuit). Modules, subroutines, and software agents can refer toportions of the computer program, the processor, the special circuitry,software, and/or hardware that implement that functionality.

Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, byway of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, andany one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, aprocessor receives instructions and data from a read-only memory or arandom access memory or both. The essential elements of a computer are aprocessor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices forstoring instructions and data. Generally, a computer can be operativelycoupled to receive data from and/or transfer data to one or more massstorage devices for storing data (e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks,or optical disks).

Data transmission and instructions can also occur over a communicationsnetwork. Information carriers suitable for embodying computer programinstructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory,including by way of example, semiconductor memory devices. Theinformation carriers can, for example, be EPROM, EEPROM, flash memorydevices, magnetic disks, internal hard disks, removable disks,magneto-optical disks, CD-ROM, and/or DVD-ROM disks. The processor andthe memory can be supplemented by, and/or incorporated in specialpurpose logic circuitry.

To provide for interaction with a user, the above described techniquescan be implemented on a computer having a display device, a transmittingdevice, and/or a computing device. The display device can be, forexample, a cathode ray tube (CRT) and/or a liquid crystal display (LCD)monitor. The interaction with a user can be, for example, a display ofinformation to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device (e.g., amouse or a trackball) by which the user can provide input to thecomputer (e.g., interact with a user interface element). Other kinds ofdevices can be used to provide for interaction with a user. Otherdevices can be, for example, feedback provided to the user in any formof sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, ortactile feedback). Input from the user can be, for example, received inany form, including acoustic, speech, and/or tactile input.

The computing device can include, for example, a computer, a computerwith a browser device, a telephone, an IP phone, a mobile device (e.g.,cellular phone, personal digital assistant (PDA) device, laptopcomputer, electronic mail device), and/or other communication devices.The computing device can be, for example, one or more computer servers.The computer servers can be, for example, part of a server farm. Thebrowser device includes, for example, a computer (e.g., desktopcomputer, laptop computer, or tablet) with a World Wide Web browser(e.g., Microsoft® Internet Explorer® available from MicrosoftCorporation, Chrome available from Google, Mozilla® Firefox availablefrom Mozilla Corporation, Safari available from Apple). The mobilecomputing device includes, for example, a personal digital assistant(PDA).

Website and/or web pages can be provided, for example, through a network(e.g., Internet) using a web server. The web server can be, for example,a computer with a server module (e.g., Microsoft® Internet InformationServices available from Microsoft Corporation, Apache Web Serveravailable from Apache Software Foundation, Apache Tomcat Web Serveravailable from Apache Software Foundation).

The storage module can be, for example, a random access memory (RAM)module, a read only memory (ROM) module, a computer hard drive, a memorycard (e.g., universal serial bus (USB) flash drive, a secure digital(SD) flash card), a floppy disk, and/or any other data storage device.Information stored on a storage module can be maintained, for example,in a database (e.g., relational database system, flat database system)and/or any other logical information storage mechanism.

The above described techniques can be implemented in a distributedcomputing system that includes a back-end component. The back-endcomponent can, for example, be a data server, a middleware component,and/or an application server. The above described techniques can beimplemented in a distributing computing system that includes a front-endcomponent. The front-end component can, for example, be a clientcomputer having a graphical user interface, a Web browser through whicha user can interact with an example implementation, and/or othergraphical user interfaces for a transmitting device. The components ofthe system can be interconnected by any form or medium of digital datacommunication (e.g., a communication network). Examples of communicationnetworks include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN),the Internet, wired networks, and/or wireless networks.

The system can include clients and servers. A client and a server aregenerally remote from each other and typically interact through acommunication network. The relationship of client and server arises byvirtue of computer programs running on the respective computers andhaving a client-server relationship to each other.

The above described networks can be implemented in a packet-basednetwork, a circuit-based network, and/or a combination of a packet-basednetwork and a circuit-based network. Packet-based networks can include,for example, the Internet, a carrier internet protocol (IP) network(e.g., local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), campus areanetwork (CAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), home area network(HAN)), a private IP network, an IP private branch exchange (IPBX), awireless network (e.g., radio access network (RAN), 802.11 network,802.16 network, general packet radio service (GPRS) network, HiperLAN),and/or other packet-based networks. Circuit-based networks can include,for example, the public switched telephone network (PSTN), a privatebranch exchange (PBX), a wireless network (e.g., RAN, Bluetooth,code-division multiple access (CDMA) network, time division multipleaccess (TDMA) network, global system for mobile communications (GSM)network), and/or other circuit-based networks.

Comprise, include, and/or plural forms of each are open ended andinclude the listed parts and can include additional parts that are notlisted. And/or is open ended and includes one or more of the listedparts and combinations of the listed parts.

One skilled in the art will realize the invention may be embodied inother specific forms without departing from the spirit or essentialcharacteristics thereof. The foregoing embodiments are therefore to beconsidered in all respects illustrative rather than limiting of theinvention described herein. Scope of the invention is thus indicated bythe appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description, and allchanges that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computerized-method of integrating workforceinformation data received from a plurality of business units, the methodcomprising: receiving, by a computing device, encrypted workforceinformation and parameters from each of a plurality of business units;storing, by the computing device, the encrypted workforce information ina workforce information data repository; during a first clock cycle, a)retrieving, by the computing device, a first parameter of a particularbusiness unit of the plurality of business units, b) determining, by thecomputing device, a first identifier and a first size of a first datablock based on the retrieved first parameter and c) retrieving adecrypting, by the computing device, the first data block of the firstsize from the workforce information data repository; during a secondclock cycle, a) retrieving, by the computing device, a second parameterof a particular business unit of the plurality of business units, b)determining, by the computing device, a second identifier and a secondsize of a second data block based on the retrieved second parameter c)retrieving and decrypting, by the computing device, the second datablock of the second size from the workforce information data repositoryand d) determining, by the computing device, a first set of one or morerules based on the first identifier of the first data block andrequirements of a first consuming application and e) creating, by thecomputing device, a first consuming application ready data block byapplying the first set of one or more rules to the first data block; andduring a third clock cycle, a) retrieving, by the computing device, athird parameter of a particular business unit of the plurality ofbusiness units, b) determining, by the computing device, a thirdidentifier and a third size of a third data block based on the retrievedthird parameter c) retrieving and decrypting, by the computing device,the third data block of the third size from the workforce informationdata repository, and, d) determining, by the computing device, a secondset of one or more rules based on the second identifier and requirementsof a second consuming application, and e) creating, by the computingdevice, a second consuming application ready data block, by applying thesecond set of one or more rules to the second data block, and f)transmitting, by the computing device, the first consuming applicationready data block to the first consuming application.
 2. Thecomputerized-method of claim 1 further comprising: during a fourth clockcycle, a) retrieving, by the computing device, a fourth parameter of aparticular business unit of the plurality of business units, b)determining, by the computing device, a fourth identifier and a fourthsize of a fourth data block based on the retrieved fourth parameter, c)retrieving and decrypting, by the computing device, the fourth datablock of the fourth size from the workforce information data repository,d) determining, by the computing device, a third set of one or morerules based on the third identifier and requirements of a thirdconsuming application, e) creating, by the computing device, the thirdconsuming application ready data block by applying the third set of oneor more rules to the third data block, and f) transmitting, by thecomputing device, the second consuming application ready data block tothe second consuming application.
 3. The computerized-method of claim 2further comprising: during a fifth clock cycle, a) retrieving, by thecomputing device, a fifth parameter of a particular business unit of theplurality of business units, b) determining, by the computing device, afifth identifier and a fifth size of a fifth data block based on theretrieved fifth parameter c) retrieving and decrypting, by the computingdevice, the fifth data block of the fifth size from the workforceinformation data repository, d) determining, by the computing device, afourth set of one or more rules based on the fourth identifier andrequirements of a fourth consuming application, e) creating, by thecomputing device, the fourth consuming application ready data block byapplying the fourth set of one or more rules to the fourth data block,and f) transmitting, by the computing device, the third consumingapplication ready data block to the third consuming application.
 4. Thecomputerized-method of claim 1 further comprising encrypting, by thecomputing device, the first consuming application ready data block. 5.The computerized-method of claim 1 further comprising: determining, bythe computing device, whether the first data block of predeterminedworkforce information is in an Extensible Markup Language format; andtransforming, by the computing device, the first data block ofpredetermined workforce information into an Extensible Markup Languageformat if the first data block of predetermined workforce information isnot in an Extensible Markup Language format.
 6. The computerized-methodof claim 5 wherein the first consuming application ready data block isoutput as a string.
 7. The computerized-method of claim 1 whereinapplying the one or more rules further comprises retrieving, by thecomputing device, the one or more rules based on an attribute of theparticular business unit of the plurality of business units.
 8. Thecomputerized-method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting, by thecomputing device, the first consuming application ready data block to adata repository.
 9. The computerized-method of claim 1 wherein the oneor more rules are integration rules, precedence rules, derived rules, orany combination thereof.
 10. The computerized-method of claim 1 whereinthe first clock cycle, the second clock cycle and the third clock cycleare substantially equal.
 11. The computerized method of claim 10 whereinthe first clock cycle is approximately 0.5 seconds.
 12. Thecomputerized-method of claim 1 wherein the first data block size variesbased on a configurable parameter.
 13. A computer program product,tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium,for integrating workforce information data received from a plurality ofbusiness units, the computer program product including instructions whenexecuted by a computing device, cause the computing device to performthe steps of: receiving, encrypted workforce information and parametersfrom each of a plurality of business units; storing, the encryptedworkforce information in a workforce information data repository; duringa first clock cycle, a) retrieving, a first parameter of a particularbusiness unit of the plurality of business units, b) determining, firstidentifier and a first size of a first data block based on the retrievedfirst parameter, and c) retrieving and decrypting, the first data blockof the first size from the workforce information data repository; duringa second clock cycle, a) retrieving, a second parameter of a particularbusiness unit of the plurality of business units, b) determining, asecond identifier and a second size of a second data block based on theretrieved second parameter c) retrieving and decrypting, the second datablock of the second size from the workforce information data repositoryand d) determining, a first set of one or more rules based on the firstidentifier of the first data block and requirements of a first consumingapplication and e) creating, a first consuming application ready datablock by applying the first set of one or more rules to the first datablock; and during a third clock cycle, a) retrieving, a third parameterof a particular business unit of the plurality of business units, b)determining, a third identifier and a third size of a third data blockbased on the retrieved third parameter, c) retrieving and decrypting,the third data block of the third size from the workforce informationdata repository, and, d) determining, a second set of one or more rulesbased on the second identifier and requirements of a second consumingapplication, and e) creating the second consuming application ready datablock, by applying the second set of one or more rules to the seconddata block, and f) transmitting, the first consuming application readydata block to the first consuming application.